Author's Notes: Story is inspired by The Gold Dress by Paula Girl.

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The Three Brothers

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Frederick, Sam, and Michael were three very tight brothers growing up. Fred was the natural leader of the boys, was generally well-liked, and appeared ready to accomplish great things as he was about to graduate college. If he had any faults it was that he could be hot-tempered with his two younger brothers. Sam was very much an introvert, soft-spoken, and kept to himself. Michael was the family clown not taking anything too seriously. The brothers' births were spaced out only a year apart.

Their parents didn't appear out of the ordinary. They were a loving couple that did everything together. The boys would all agree that their mother was quite tomboyish which was convenient in a family of just boys. If the boys ever did any genealogical research, they would notice that their mother had three boys, their grandmother had three boys, their great grandmother had three boys, etc. Or they may have found it odd that there were zero photos of their mother growing up in the photo albums.

It all started in the attic when Michael decided to sneak up there when he was a young teen. Inside the dusty attic were boxes filled with random things collected over the years. Prominently displayed was his mother's wedding dress on a mannequin. Michael curiously walked over to it as if he were in a trance and then touched the inviting silk, the soft fabric. He couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like if he were to put it on.

"What are you doing up here?" Fred demanded of him as he came up the stairs.

"Just looking around," Michael said innocently.

"Don't touch that. It's twenty years old," Fred scolded him.

"I was just looking at it," Michael said defensively.

"You want to look at it, open the photo albums," Fred told him off. "Look, it's dusty and if you make a wrong step you'll fall right through the ceiling. Then mom and dad will be totally pissed with you."

"Fine, whatever," Michael relented.

"Don't come up here again without mom or dad," Fred ordered him as he went down.

"You're not the boss of me," Michael said immaturely as he disappeared from view.

Fred then eyed the dress and couldn't help but also feel an attraction to it. Unlike Michael, he had a greater awareness of himself and knew something was wrong with that dress. He decided to finally confront his mom over the issue.

Fred's mother was busy in the kitchen when confronted over the dress. "What's up with that wedding dress?" Fred asked her.

"What do you mean?" his mother asked.

"You know, it's a little creepy," Fred said vaguely.

"How so?" his mother asked slightly offended.

"Look, it has this power to draw you in. I've seen both Michael and Sam go up to the attic to take a look at it repeatedly," Fred said.

"They're just being curious," his mother downplayed.

"I felt something weird from it," Fred pressed.

His mother sighed not prepared for this conversation. "Okay, you've forced my hand. The truth is that the dress is cursed, our family is cursed. Every woman down the maternal line has to have three sons, no more, no less. No matter if she uses contraception or not, it's always three sons and then total infertility," she said.

"Doesn't sound too bad," Fred said.

"That's not the half of it. One of the three sons puts on that dress and becomes a woman. Then that woman has three sons and one of her three sons puts on the dress and becomes a woman," Fred's mother revealed.

"You're screwing with me, right?" Fred asked incredulously.

"Afraid not," she said and went back to her cooking.

"Wait, that would mean you...were one of the three sons," Fred figured.

"No kidding," his mother nodded.

"Wait...what?" Fred asked thinking he was being punked.

Fred's mother stopped what she was doing. "I was born a boy, I was raised a boy, and then I put on that damn dress. Now, I'm a wife and mother. Can I make myself any clearer?" she asked annoyed.

"Does dad know?" Fred asked freaked out.

"Yes, of course, he does," Fred's mother confirmed.

"Why did you put on the dress? Did you want to be a girl?" Fred asked.

"No, not really. I just felt drawn to it, okay. The same way you, Sam, and Michael have been drawn to it," his mother said. "I wasn't told by my mother or my grandmother what it would do to me."

"Well, we'll just avoid it then," Fred said obviously.

"You can't. One of the three of you is going to put it on. It's inevitable. It's happened through several generations. I didn't tell you three...because I didn't want to force it on you. I wanted it to just happen naturally," his mother said.

"The dress needs to be destroyed," Fred said resolved.

His mother laughed at him. "Don't you think I've tried that. I've thrown it into the trash, burned it to ash, buried it, and thrown it into the sea, but it always comes back. It's not always in the attic, either. Sometimes, it's in my closet, the trunk of my car, hanging on our tree in the backyard."

"Damn," Fred said stunned.

"Oh yeah. It follows me wherever I go. It shows up randomly in hotels and at your grandparents' house. It's always there to remind me of the choice I made," his mother said bitterly.

"So, how can we defeat it?" Fred asked.

"It can't be defeated. One of you three will eventually fall to it. It's only a matter of time," she said somberly.

"Well, I can't accept that," Fred said argumentatively.

"Listen to me. It's better if one of you three tries it on now than later. I mean, do you really want to get married only to change sex when you're forty? Do you want to restart your life all over again? Have kids at forty?" his mother asked him.

"No," Fred replied.

"Now, you know about the dress. You're my first-born son. Just let Sam or Michael put on the dress. It will happen eventually. Be glad I've saved you from that fate," his mother said. "You must never tell them what I have told you. I am your mother. I conceived you in my womb, I carried you, and I gave birth to you. I've been your mother all your life. Nothing has changed."

"I know," Fred said giving her a reassuring hug. "I know."

---

As it happened, Fred could not accept this inevitability. He tried to destroy the dress numerous times only to find it back in the attic or in some random closet. When they went to college together in the same apartment, Fred put locks on all of the closets that only he knew the combination to.

"This is some bullshit," Sam exploded on him.

"You know what's bullshit. This," Fred said opening his closet to reveal the wedding dress.

"The fuck?" Sam wondered mesmerized by it.

Fred took hold of the dress out of the closet and threw it on the floor. "Just trust me on this," Fred said to him and then dragged the dress away to his own room. Fred then decided to have the dress on a hanger in front of him at all times and then locked his room whenever he left. He figured his knowledge of the dress and his existing determination would keep them all safe.

---

One day, he found the door to his room unlocked. "How come you have mom's wedding dress in your room?" Michael asked him.

"How the fuck did you get in my room?" Fred shouted at him.

"Easy. I took a screwdriver to it and took off the doorknob," he said as if it were nothing.

"You're a fucking idiot!" Fred yelled and then the fight was on as the two tumbled down the stairs and got into a brutal fistfight. Sam then intervened with all three of them punching and kicking each other. Finally, all three of them were too tired and broken to fight any longer.

"Stay the fuck out of my room for your own good," Fred said to the other two and went back to his room.

Inside his room, the dress was intoxicating. Fred took off his bloody shirt, fixed his nosebleed, and stared at the dress. It will all be over if he just put it on. He then realized that Michael was drawn to it as much as he was. He had taken off the doorknob to get to it. As his mother had said, it was inevitable one of them would put it on.

Fred faced the dress realizing a moment of truth was before him. If he didn't put on the dress, one of his two brothers would. As the oldest, the leader, the example, he couldn't let that happen.

---

Fred had a really good friend named Barney. The two were in the same grade and had done sports, video games, card games, group dates, movies, etc together. Fred trusted Barney more than even his own brothers. "That's some story," Barney said disbelievingly.

"I'm telling you this now, so you know why Fred won't be coming back. If some girl came up to you and said she was Fred, you would call bullshit," Fred said obviously.

"You got that right," Barney agreed.

"But not only am I telling you this, but I also want you to be there when I put it on," Fred said. "I don't want to lose you forever. If you see it happen in front of you, you will believe it's me."

"I like your plan but it's insane. Even if I believed this horseshit, why not have one of your punk brothers put it on. I'll even help you force it on one of them," Barney said.

"I have to set an example. I have to carry this burden," Fred said sacrificially.

"You are the first-born son. It's not your place," Barney said.

"Look, if it happens to Sam or Michael they could go crazy. They could end up as prostitutes, single mothers, rape victims, or even commit suicide over this. I know myself. I know I'm strong enough to survive. Sam and Michael? Who knows? I can't take that chance," Fred said.

"It looks like you've put a lot of thought into this. I don't agree but it's your decision, man. I just hope that after it happens, it doesn't become weird between us," Barney said somberly.

While the two brothers were gone, Fred and Barney came by the apartment. The wedding dress was still hanging in Fred's room. "Thought it would look weirder," Barney remarked.

"You don't feel it?" Fred asked him referring to the constant pull on him.

"No," he shook his head.

"I can barely concentrate with this thing in the room. It's constantly calling to me," Fred said.

"Well, I'm here for you," Barney said.

"Thanks," Fred said giving him a bro-hug. "Let's just get this over with."

Fred placed the dress on the bed and kicked off his shoes. Finally, he mustered the fortitude to put on the dress looking completely rediculous as he did. It only felt even more intoxicated on his skin. "If you could zip me up," Fred asked awkwardly.

"Yeah, sure," Barney said carefully zipping him up.

As soon as Barney did, Fred could then feel it. The dress was extremely tight on him but refused to tear. He then felt his body shrink as it adapted to the dress. This was for real, not just some story his mother had fed him to keep her boys away from her dress. Fred now felt more comfortable around his shoulders and waist as his bones and muscles shrunk. He lost several inches as he was now looking up at Barney.

"This is so surreal," Barney said amazed.

Fred noticed that his nails had become perfect, his hands became smaller, and with less hair. The callouses he had acquired were gone. He felt his soft hands in disbelief. Looking down at his bare feet, he saw them shrink and become more feminine. Fred then went to his bathroom mirror and saw his face morph to become more feminine. The facial hair he occasionally shaved off every so often was gone. His face now resembled that of his mother while his hair grew longer.

"Is it over?" Barney wondered.

A part of Fred wanted it to be dreading any more changes but another part wanted to be as feminine as possible. He wanted breasts and a fully functional vagina. He didn't want to be in between. Fred's nipples suddenly became sensitive and pushed out. He placed his hands on his chest as his breasts became B-cups, the same size as his mothers. Finally, he felt an odd sensation from his groin. He didn't dare to take the dress off to look for fear of it going wrong. Instead, he waited for his sexual organs to disappear into his body never to be seen again. His hips expanded causing him to lose his balance. Barney caught him just in time.

"Thanks, Barney," Fred said appreciatively with his new feminine voice.

"Maybe you'll change back if you take off the dress," Barney suggested.

"Foreign thoughts entered Fred's femininized mind. Did he want to disrobe in front of him or shoo him out of the apartment altogether? He was no longer the "best friend" but either a prospect or threat. She couldn't make up her mind as her thoughts were unfocused.

"Just...let me change in here and I'll be right out," Frederica told him.

"Sure," Barney said giving her space.

Frederica closed the bathroom door, took off the dress, and then rudely threw it into the bathtub. She looked over her feminine body impressed with its look but disappointed that her physical strength had melted away. She seriously doubted she would ever be competitive against her brothers again...or Barney, for that matter. She quickly put on her t-shirt and shorts and came out.

"I'm a woman...forever," Frederica said to him.

"That was really brave," Barry complimented. "Is it...okay if I give you a hug," he asked seeing Frederica emotionally distressed.

"Yeah, that's okay," she said embracing him with some tears in her eyes.

---

When the two brothers came back they found Frederica and Barney in the living room. "Who's the chick?" Michael asked as they came in.

"I have a lot to tell you, two," Frederica said to them.

Frederica proceeded to tell them the whole story with Barney backing up her account. After she had explained everything, Michael immaturely kept asking sensitive questions that Frederica refused to answer. Sam remained quiet and subdued. When it was all said, Michael and Sam accepted the fact that their older brother was now a woman and that their mother had also been born a boy.

---

Soon thereafter, Frederica and Sam had a walk through the park. Frederica kept it casual with a t-shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes. She wasn't even wearing a bra at this point. "I actually feel a little relieved in a way. I had been keeping the dress away from you two for years now. The struggle is finally over," Frederica said reflectively.

Sam merely nodded. "I feel you should have consulted us about it, you know."

"Why? Did you want to be a girl?" Frederica asked skeptically.

"Well, no, but maybe it didn't have to be you," Sam said vaguely.

"Like we would gang up on Michael because he's the youngest? I couldn't do that. I just felt the responsibility had to be mine," Frederica said.

"Maybe we could have drawn straws or something," Sam said feeling guilty.

"It's over. It's done," Frederica told him.

"So, do you feel different now?" Sam asked curiously.

"I kind of walk a little funny," Frederica admitted.

"I mean, towards people. Do you like...guys now?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," Frederica said. "I don't feel like dating anyone. I know it's a cliche, but Barney is the only one I trust."

"You think you might end up with him?" Sam asked.

"Wouldn't that be something but if I don't get my head right, if I fuck it up, then I'll lose him forever. With guys and girls, there's no middle ground, you know," Frederica said.

"Well, you do have the advantage of knowing how guys think," Sam said.

"I suppose that does help," Frederica allowed.

"For me, guys are much easier to figure out," Sam smiled.

"If I go crazy, you two have to reign me in," Frederica said apprehensively.

"Yeah, absolutely," Sam agreed.

---

Frederica avoided telling her parents what had happened. She continued to hang out with Barney to keep the guys away. For the first time, she noticed men take notice of her on campus. "Do you find me attractive?" Frederica asked bluntly.

"Well, yeah," Barney replied.

"Is it weird for you?" Frederica asked.

"I'll get over it," Barney said although he wasn't so sure.

"Since the change...I'm no longer interested in women," she admitted.

"But?" Barney wondered.

"I think I like guys. I'm not sure," she said flustered.

"Don't think of whether you're into men or women. Think of being interested in a person," Barney advised.

"In that case, you're the only one outside my family that I trust," Frederica said.

"Sure, I can see why," Barney said awkwardly.

There was silence between them for a moment. "I want to go on dates...but with just you," Frederica said finally.

"Do we really need to date?" Barney wondered. "We've known each other for years."

"I don't know what to say. According to the family curse, I'm supposed to have three sons. That means hooking up with a guy and probably marry that guy," Frederica said.

"You don't have to have kids now," Barney reminded her.

"I don't want to fuck up my life by being with the wrong guy," Frederica said fearfully.

The two then noticed Sam and his good friend walking around campus a distance away. The two went to a corner where they figured no one was looking and then kissed. They then went their separate ways. "I have to get home," Frederica said distressed.

---

Frederica waited for Sam to come home and then exploded on him. "You're gay? What the fuck?" she asked him as he came in. Michael was not in the apartment at the time.

"Wait...what?" Sam wondered.

"I saw you kiss a man on campus," Frederica accused.

"Fuck," Sam realized he had been outed.

"So, is it true?" Frederica demanded.

"Yes, I guess, I don't know," he admitted.

"Have you fucked him?" Frederica asked.

"That's none of your business," Sam refused to answer.

"I gave up my sex, my identity, my sexuality for you and Michael. The fuck it's not my business," Frederica said angrily.

"You know how you asked us to tell you when you're being a crazy bitch. It's happening, right now," Sam said condescendingly.

Frederica punched him to the face. "I didn't even feel that. Girls slap by the way," he mocked her.

"I should have let you wear the dress. You're already half-way there," Frederica glared at him.

"Whoa, that's not fair. I like being a man. I like being with men as a man," Sam told her off.

"It would have been less a sacrifice for you. You could have any man you wanted without being judged," Frederica pointed out.

"Being gay and being feminine is not the same thing," Sam said to her.

"You should have fucking told me. I made my decision on a lie," Frederica said furiously.

"And you should have told us about that dress," Sam shot back.

"Would you have tried on the dress if I had told you?" Frederica asked.

"Fuck no," Sam replied instantly.

"This is a fucking disaster. Now, mom and dad are going to have one son be a tranny while the other is a fag," Frederica said to him.

Sam pushed her against the wall stunning her and quickly regretted it. Frederica stared at Sam realizing she could no longer tumble with him and Michael like before. "If you had put on the dress, at least, it would only be one tragedy," she said scornfully and then stormed out of the apartment.

Sam sighed feeling greatly conflicted. As Frederica headed to her car, she ran into Michael. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Frederica felt the desire to out Sam but restrained herself. "Nothing," she said and then drove off.

---

Frederica came to Barney's apartment still visibly upset. "I guess your talk with Sam didn't go so well," he figured and then invited her.

"I feel so angry, foolish, and guilty all at once. It makes me want to cry and I can't stop it," Frederica said.

Barney handed her a beer. "You had good intentions."

"It should have been Sam. It's fate," Frederica said.

"Is it? Maybe, the dress would have made him a Lesbian. Who knows?" Barney suggested.

"He must have known for years and not told me," Frederica said offended.

"You put on the dress to protect your brothers. That still applies even if both your brothers are gay," Barney reminded her.

"I would have been fine with Sam being gay if not for this curse. Before I knew of the dress, I figured all three of us would have wives and kids. Now, that's all fucked up," Frederica said bitterly.

"I don't know. That sounds kind of boring," Barney smiled gently.

Frederica eyed Barney feeling love and affection for him. "I've been always attracted to girls...until now. I could never relate to how Sam feels...until now. Could you...possibly show me what it's like," she asked awkwardly.

Barney gave her a gentle kiss that got her heart beating faster and her whole body excited. She kissed him back and enjoyed the feeling of it. "Give me a sign of how far you want to go," Barney requested of her.

Frederica felt scared realizing the ball was in her court. She knew Barney would make love to her if she didn't stop him. But if she refused him, what would that say? She had no reason to refuse him or herself, for that matter. After a momentary hesitancy, she took off her shirt revealing her breasts.

"That's my sign," she told him both excited and apprehensive at the same time.

"Okay," Barney said and then continued to kiss her.

"Can we skip the part where I suck your dick?" Frederica asked, uncertain of herself.

"You watch too much porn," Barney mocked as he kissed her neck and fondled her breasts.

Frederica started to get wet and aroused by his touch. He went towards her shorts to unbutton them and then stopped. "What's wrong?" she asked him.

"Nothing. I just want you to really want it," he said and then backed away from her. "Have another beer," he said handing her one.

"You can't be serious," Frederica said confused.

"I think you're still not sure what you want. Let's take a break from this and play some video games," he said.

"Okay," Frederica said visibly flustered and put her shirt back on.

The entire time she played against Barney, she was easily defeated when it was usually the other way around. "Fuck, let's just do it. I want to do it. I'm serious now," she said finally.

"Alright then," Barney said taking off his clothes.

Frederica stared mesmerized as she appreciated his body for the first time. He was already very hard for her. She quickly got out of her clothes and felt inadequate compared to him. He was so much bigger, taller, heavier, and stronger than her. They had been competitive in sports before. Now, no longer.

"Hey, in time, you'll learn the advantages of being a woman," he assured her.

"Yeah, sure," Frederica doubted.

"Just lay on the couch there," he said to her.

Frederica compiled and then realized what had in mind. He placed his mouth to her opening and licked her clit with deliberate slow strokes. Frederica moved her hips and touched her breasts as he did. "That's really intense," she said overwhelmed.

Barney kept it up until Frederica arched her back and cried out in orgasmic bliss. "Holy shit," she said stunned. Barney withdrew from her and stared at her attractive naked body.

"Well, good deal," he said backing away.

"Barney, I want you to fuck me," Frederica said seriously.

"You sure?" he asked.

She nodded in the affirmative. "It's just wrestling, okay. Just...with a dick inside you," Barney told her.

"Shut the fuck up and just do it," Frederica encouraged him.

Barney positioned himself between her legs and easily made his way inside her all the way to the hilt. "That feels so weird," Frederica said as she felt it.

"In time, you'll learn how to loosen up and tighten," Barney told her. "Just relax, right now."

Frederica nodded letting Barney take over. They did simple missionary sex on the couch at a slow pace for a good while. Frederica could tell that Barney was taking his time. "It's okay. You don't have to hold back," Frederica said to him.

"Okay, I'm going to speed up a bit," he warned her.

Frederica took hold of his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his hips as he thrust hard and quickly. Frederica sighed and gasped but didn't feel comfortable just yet being overly vocal. "Fuck," she tensed up as she hit another orgasm. Barney then came inside her giving her a warm unfamiliar sensation.

"Wow, that was actually a lot of fun," Frederica said pleased.

"We have to kiss and cuddle for a little while or else you'll get all depressed and lonely," Barney informed her.

"You know best," Fredricka allowed.

The two made out on the couch until Frederica fell asleep in his arms. Barney gently pulled away from her and put a blanket on her. She really did look beautiful to him.

---

Frederica came back to her apartment late and found Michael watching TV. He noticed her coming in. "You were at Barney's place, weren't you? Did you fuck him?" he asked bluntly.

"None of your business," Frederica snapped at him.

"That's so gay," Michael said immaturely.

"Michael, shut the fuck up," Frederica scolded him and then made her way to Sam's room. She knocked on the door. "Sam, we need to talk."

Sam opened the door for her looking sleepy. "What is it?" he asked allowing her inside.

"I'm sorry about what I said to you. I could blame hormones but it's not an excuse. I was wrong and I realize now where you're coming from," Frederica said to him.

"You had sex with Barney, didn't you?" Sam asked knowingly.

The two sat on the bed together. "Is it that obvious?" she asked apprehensively.

"You just have this glow about you," Sam said vaguely.

"I'm scared. At least you don't have to worry about getting pregnant," Frederica admitted.

"No, but there are other things for me to worry about," Sam frowned.

"If we're going to make it, we have to be there for each other," Frederica said.

"Honestly, I don't have much experience with guys. I'm nervous, too," Sam said.

"We can figure them out, together," Frederica smiled.

---

Frederica eventually allowed Sam to tell their parents what had happened. Their mother was surprised that it had been Fred that had gone through the change. Even more surprised to know that Sam was gay. Still, the parents had anticipated one of their sons trying on the dress for years and were emotionally prepared as one could under the circumstances.

Frederica graduated with a diploma that had her new female name on it. She then moved in with Barney. Sam moved in with his boyfriend at another place. Michael stayed at the old apartment and hooked up with a girl he liked from one of his classes.

It didn't take long for Frederica to marry her best friend, Barney, and start a family. They arrived at the doctor's office to get an ultrasound. "Let me guess, it's a boy," Frederica assumed.

"It is," the doctor confirmed.

Upon arriving home, Frederica looked over the old wedding dress. "We're going to tell them when they're teens...about the dress," she said resolved.

"If you think that's best," Barney allowed.

Frederica felt her belly. "Will you be the one?" she wondered.

---

Author's Notes: It's a common trope for gay men to be assumed to be one that gets a sex change by the end of the story and for them to being automatically accepting of it. So, I wanted to put forth a story that challenged that notion to add a little diversity to the genre.